Meaning and history
Else is a German, Dutch, Danish, and Norwegian feminine short form of Elisabeth or Elizabeth. Elizabeth comes from Hebrew Elisheva, commonly interpreted as “my God is an oath.” The name gained biblical importance through Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist in the New Testament, and later through saints and European queens. Else is also used independently. Notable bearers include German artist and Holocaust victim Else Lasker-Schüler and Danish author and journalist Else Holmelund Minarik.
20012001: no US SSA record for this spelling
2002: no US SSA record for this spelling
2003: no US SSA record for this spelling
2004: no US SSA record for this spelling
2005: no US SSA record for this spelling
20062006: 6 births, rank #15,152
2007: 8 births, rank #12,676
2008: 6 births, rank #15,405
2009: 6 births, rank #15,242
2010: 6 births, rank #14,959
20112011: 7 births, rank #13,347
2012: 9 births, rank #11,257
2013: 12 births, rank #9,036
2014: no US SSA record for this spelling
2015: no US SSA record for this spelling
20162016: no US SSA record for this spelling
2017: 6 births, rank #14,124
2018: 7 births, rank #12,464
2019: 5 births, rank #15,539
20202020: 5 births, rank #15,088
Else rose from #975 to #949 for girls between 1893 and 1895. That year also produced its highest recorded birth count, at 12.